Connecting rods of internal combustion engines

ABSTRACT

A connecting rod is divided into a plurality of sections along a transverse plane which are secured together by means of a plurality of bolts. A single liquid pressure jack is contained in one section to separate the sections.

United States Patent 1 1 Ito 1 Dec. 11, 1973 CONNECTING RODS OF INTERNAL 29/1565 COMBUSTION ENGINES [75] Inventor: Takashi Ito, Tokyo, Japan 7 [56] References Cited [73] Assignees: Mitsui Shipbuilding & Engineering UNITED STATES PATENTS Co. Ltd.; Japan Ships Machinery 722,209 3/1903 Christensen 74/587 X Development Association, Tokyo, 2,979,967 4/1961 Jackson 74/579 Japan I [22] Sept. 29, 1972' Prirnary Examiner-Charles J. Myhre Assistant Examiner-F. D. Shoemaker 1 pp No.: 293,575 Attorney-C. Yardley Chittick et al.

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] AB TR CT Sept. 30, 1971 Japan 46/85972 A connecting rod is into a plurality of Sections 1 along a transverse plane which are secured together [52] U.S. Cl. 74/579 E, 74/5123, 174/587, by means of a plurality of bolts A single liquid pres I 1 3/ 97 AB sure jack is contained in one section to separate the [51] Int. Cl. F16e 7/00 Sections Field of Search 74/579, 579 E, 583,

74/586, 587; 123/197 AB, 48 B, 78 AA, 7 E;

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENIED Him 1 I975 sum 1 OF 2 F/GJ CONNECTING RODS OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a connecting rod of an internal combustion engine and more particularly a large size internal combustion engine for use in a ship or the like.-

Generally, a connecting rod utilized in a large size internalcombustion engine is composed of two sections SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide an improved connecting rod of a split type wherein the split sections can be readily connected and disconnected in a narrow crank case of an internal combustion engine.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved connecting rod of the split type wherein only one hydraulic jack is used for connecting and disconnecting the divided sections thereby decreasing the number of jacks and simplifying the pipings for supplying pressurized fluid to a plurality of jacks.

According to this invention there is provided a connecting rod foran internal combustion engine of the type wherein the connecting rod is divided into a plurality of sections along a transverse plane and the sections are connected together by means of a plurality of bolts, characterized in that a single hydraulic jack is contained in one section to separate said sections.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a piston, partly in section and a connecting rod embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing an oil jack contained in one of the divided sections and FIG. 3 is a front view of a modified embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS in the end surface 5 of the link section 3. The hydraulic a cylinder8 secured to the link section Sby means of a plurality of bolts 7, and a guide pin 10 extending through the bottom of the cylinder 8 and provided with'an oil passage 9 for supplying oil to the jack 6 comprises compression chamber of an oil pressure cylinder to be described later. The link section 3 is formed with a lateral oil passage llwhich is communicated with oil passage 9. The outer end 12 of oil passage 11 isthreaded to receive a joint for supplying pressurized oil from a source of the pressurized oil not shown. A cylindrical piston 13 is slidably disposed in cylinder 8 so as to define the above described compression chamber 14. An ()-ring 15 is interposed between the inner surface of the cylinder 8 and the outer surface of piston 13 to prevent the oil in the compression chamber 14 from leaking. A nut 19 is secured tothe upper end portion of a cylindrical rod 17 extending through the central portion of the cylinder 8 to engage the bottom of a recess 18 formed in the upper end of piston 13. A spring seat 21 is formed on the lower end of rod 17 to support the lower end of a spring for downwardly biasing the piston 13. The rod 17 is provided with a central bore 22 for passing cooling oil for a piston 23.

Although in this embodiment, the connecting rod 1 is divided into two sections along a transverse plane located near the small end, such a plane may be located near the big end of the connecting rod as shown in FIG. 3.

, To assemble the end section 2 and the link section 3, a liner having a thickness t is interposed at the interface 5' between sections 2 and 3 and then bolts 4 are fully tightened to interconnect these sections. Then a pipe, not shown is connected to the threaded end 12 of the link section 3 to supply the pressurized oil into the compression chamber 14 so as to raise piston 13 as shown by arrow A, thereby increasing the gap at the interface to a value slightly larger than t+ a. Under these conditions, the liner having a thickness t is replaced by another liner having a thickness t a. Then the pressurized oil is discharged from the compression chamber causing piston 13 to restore. As a. consequence, bolts are elongated by a length a, the elongation acreating a strong clamping force for rigidly interconnecting sections 2 and 3.

Disconnection of sections 2 and 3 is performed in the opposite order. More particularly, after removing the liner having a thickness of r 0:, bolts 4 are loosened and removed thereby separating sections 2 and 3.

As above described, according to this invention, a connecting rod is divided into two sections along a transverse plane and a single hydraulic jack is provided in the central portion of either one of the divided sectionsat the transverse plane thereby enabling ready assembling and disassembling of the divided sections. Moreover, as only one hydraulic jack is used, it is not necessary to install a plurality of hydraulic jacks as in the conventional design. The only connection -to be made in narrow crank casing is the connection of an oil pipe to the oil passage 11 so that. it is possible to simplify the construction and save the labor.

Although the invention has been shown and described in terms of preferred embodiments thereof it should be understoodthat many changes and modifications will be obvious to one skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is 1. In a connecting rod for an internal combustionengine of the type wherein said connecting rod is divided into a plurality of sections alonga transverse plane and said sections are connected together by means of a plurality of bolts, the improvement which comprises a single hydraulic jack contained in one section to separate said sections.

ton of said jack and said one section are provided with an opening for passing cooling fluid to said engine piston.

4. The connecting rod according to claim 1 wherein said connecting rod is divided into two sections along a transverse plane located close to one end of said connecting rod. 

1. In a connecting rod for an internal combustion engine of the type wherein said connecting rod is divided into a plurality of sections along a transverse plane and said sections are connected together by means of a plurality of bolts, the improvement which comprises a single hydraulic jack contained in one section to separate said sections.
 2. The connecting rod according to claim 1 wherein said hydraulic jack comprises a cylinder disposed at the center of one section, a piston slidably received in said cylinder and means for supplying liquid under pressure to a pressure chamber between said cylinder and said piston.
 3. The connecting rod according to claim 1 wherein said connecting rod is connected to the piston of said internal combustion engine and said cylinder and piston of said jack and said one section are provided with an opening for passing cooling fluid to said engine piston.
 4. The connecting rod according to claim 1 wherein said connecting rod is divided into two sections along a transverSe plane located close to one end of said connecting rod. 